No action yet over Sajin Vaas’ vehicle misuse

Justice minister Thalatha Athukorale is looking into the delay in court action over the misuse of 22 vehicles belonging to the president’s office during the previous regime, political sources say.

The CID has sent the investigation file to the attorney general more than two years ago, in May 2015.

The accused in this state vehicle misuse is former foreign ministry supervising MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardena.

He is also under investigation for having obtained, without a bond, Rs. 140 million on lease for his Cosmic Construction (Pvt.) Ltd., providing Rs. 250 million for Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidential election campaign in 2015 and over leasing obtained for 66 vehicles belonging to the president’s office and two luxury buses belonging to the foreign ministry.

In the Cosmic Construction matter, former chief of staff of the president Gamini Senerath, K.W. Nihal Jayawardena and Wasantha Cooray too, are held responsible.

Former secretary to the president Lalith Weeratunga, chief accountant of the presidential secretariat D. Gunaratne are accused over a purchase of 15 vehicles, in which Rs. 282,750,000 had been misused.

Ex-Uva chief minister Shashindra Rajapaksa, former foreign secretary Karunatilake Amunugama and Gunawardena have been found guilty over the purchase of the two luxury buses for the ministry.